Category Archives: Minnesota

George Floyd killing: protests rage as anger mounts in cities across US – live

Posted on by

In Los Angeles, protesters marched through the downtown area before shutting the 110 freeway.

From @KTLA: protestors have shut down the 110 freeway pic.twitter.com/1WI75tIMOl

LAPD seen trying to detain protesters after squad car windows smashed, officer attacked downtown https://t.co/uHrpaRp3xm pic.twitter.com/gmxNAdO1uM

Demonstrator in DTLA made a cordon blocking the road out of Bird scooters pic.twitter.com/aV8c63SG4k

Kellie Chauvin, the wife of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd, is divorcing her husband because of his role in Floyd’s death.

Kellie Chauvin,
Through her attorney wife of former Officer Derek Chauvin the former Minneapolis Police Officer charged with murdering #GeorgeFloyd released a statement saying she is devastated by Floyd’s death, sends condolences to his family and is divorcing her husband @wcco pic.twitter.com/A5n7bYgdbK

Continue reading...

Van Jones on George Floyd killing: ‘The world witnessed a lynching’ – video

Posted on by

Activist Van Jones has said that the killing of George Floyd was a 'lynching'. Floyd, 46, a black man, was killed in police custody on Monday night after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on his neck.

In the aftermath, protests have flared up across the US with people demanding justice and systemic change to end police brutality. The CNN political commentator added that everyone should: 'Look in the mirror at how you choke off black opportunity'

Continue reading...

How the killing of George Floyd has upended America – video report

Posted on by

Cities across the US have been convulsed by protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after being arrested and handcuffed by a white officer who then kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Floyd pleaded that he 'could not breathe' and among his last words were 'don't kill me'.

The incident has sparkd a reckoning over race and police killings of black Americans - and demonstrations have spread from Minnesota to other parts of the US including New York, Denver, Chicago and Oakland

Continue reading...

Minnesota governor pledges justice after George Floyd killing: ‘normal was not working’ – video

Posted on by

Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, pledges 'swift' justice for George Floyd, adding that 'normal was not working for many communities' after huge protests across the state following Floyd's death in which a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck

Continue reading...

The Minnesota paradox: how race divides prosperous Minneapolis

Posted on by

Protests over killing of George Floyd highlight reality of tensions in the Twin Cities

It has been called the “Minnesota paradox”. The Twin Cities, comprising the conjoined urban areas of Minneapolis and St Paul, regularly tops the list of places in the US with the best quality of living.

Largely low rise and sprawling, set around the cities’ lakes and the Mississippi, the area is marked by affordable and largely good quality housing with lawns, parks, museums and tree-lined streets.

Continue reading...

George Floyd: Minneapolis official sings Amazing Grace to bereaved family – video

Posted on by

Minneapolis city council vice-president Andrea Jenkins sang a portion of the song Amazing Grace and offered her sympathies to the family of George Floyd at a news conference on Thursday morning. Jenkins also called on her council colleagues to call a state of emergency in Minneapolis, declaring racism a public health issue. George Floyd died on Monday after a Minneapolis police officer arrested him and placed his knee on his neck for several minutes. Video of the encounter has been shown worldwide.

Continue reading...

George Floyd killing: DoJ says inquiry its ‘top priority’ after thousands protest

Posted on by
  • FBI prosecutors and investigators assigned to ‘robust’ inquiry
  • Protests followed George Floyd’s killing by police on Monday

The US Department of Justice said it had made its investigation into police involvement in the death of George Floyd a “top priority” after thousands took to the streets for a second day of protests in Minneapolis.

Related: George Floyd killing: two officers involved previously reviewed for use of force

Continue reading...

Minneapolis police fire teargas at protesters after death of George Floyd – video

Posted on by

Police have clashed with protesters on the streets of Minneapolis amid outrage over the death of an unarmed black man in police custody. George Floyd died after an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. Large crowds gathered in the city on Tuesday night and police in riot gear fired teargas and rubber bullets at demonstrators

Continue reading...

Protests in Minneapolis over death of George Floyd after arrest – in pictures

Posted on by

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Tuesday evening to demand justice for George Floyd, an African American man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck as he lay on the ground during an arrest. Footage of the incident showed Floyd shouting ‘I cannot breathe’ and ‘Don’t kill me’

Continue reading...

Hundreds demand justice in Minneapolis after police killing of George Floyd

Posted on by

Protesters clash with police, who deploy teargas and stun grenades, following death of black man at hands of white officer

Police and protesters clashed in Minneapolis on Tuesday evening following a demonstration at the intersection where George Floyd was killed in an altercation with several police officers the day before.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the city on Tuesday evening to demand justice after Floyd, who was African American, was killed when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck as he lay on the ground during an arrest. Footage of the incident showed Floyd shouting “I cannot breathe” and “Don’t kill me!”

Continue reading...

‘They seem very responsible to me’: Trump defends anti-lockdown protesters – video

Posted on by

The US president urged supporters to 'liberate' three states led by Democratic governors on Friday, apparently encouraging protests against stay-at-home restrictions. 'These are people expressing their views,' Trump said during his daily White House coronavirus briefing.

Continue reading...

Ilhan Omar’s Republican opponent banned from Twitter over ‘hanging’ post

Posted on by

Danielle Stella, a pro-Trump Republican candidate for Congress, was banned from Twitter after her account published a violent comment about the Democrat she hopes to unseat next year, Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar.

Stella’s campaign Twitter account, @2020MNCongress, featured at least two posts involving the idea of Omar being hanged, according to the Washington Times, which broke the story of her suspension.

Continue reading...

Pro-Trump Republican aiming to unseat Ilhan Omar charged with felony theft

Posted on by

Exclusive: Danielle Stella, reported to support baseless QAnon conspiracy theory, held twice this year over alleged shoplifting

A pro-Trump Republican candidate for Congress who is aiming to unseat Ilhan Omar in Minnesota has been charged with a felony after allegedly stealing from stores.

Related: Trump speaks before presidential seal doctored with symbols of Russia and golf

Continue reading...

‘Welcome home!’ Ilhan Omar returns to Minnesota amid Trump smears

Posted on by

Congresswoman greeted by chanting supporters at airport as president defended rallygoers, saying they are ‘incredible patriots’

Representative Ilhan Omar was greeted by a throng of supporters as she arrived home in Minnesota, fresh off attacks from Donald Trump and his supporters that included chants of “send her back” at the president’s rally this week.

As Trump renewed his criticism of Omar on Friday, the freshman lawmaker received a strong display of support from constituents in her district who greeted her at the Minneapolis-St Paul airport on Thursday with chants of “Welcome home llhan”.

Continue reading...

‘Welcome home, Ilhan!’: supporters greet Ilhan Omar as she arrives in home state – video

Posted on by

The US representative Ilhan Omar is welcomed with cheers and support as she returns to Minnesota on Thursday after days of inflammatory attacks by Donald Trump. At the airport, supporters shouted their backing of the Somalian-born lawmaker. Meanwhile, Trump tried to distance himself from supporters’ chants of ‘send her back’ at a rally where he criticised Omar, as Republicans worry the incendiary mantra could set the tone for the 2020 campaign

Continue reading...

Mohamed Noor trial: US police officer found guilty of third-degree murder of Justine Damond

Posted on by

Jury in trial of Minneapolis police officer took less than one day to reach their verdict over the shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond

The former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor has been found guilty of third-degree murder for the shooting death of the Australian life coach Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who approached his squad car minutes after calling 911 to report a possible rape behind her home.

Mohamed Noor was convicted of third-degree murder as well as manslaughter for the July 2017 death Damond, a 40-year-old dual citizen of the US and Australia. He wasn’t convicted of the most serious charge of intentional second-degree murder.

Continue reading...

Ilhan Omar has had spike in death threats since Trump attack over 9/11 comment

Posted on by

Congresswoman said many threats referenced the president’s tweet as Sarah Sanders praises Trump for ‘calling Omar out’

Muslim American congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said she has received an increased number of death threats after Donald Trump repeatedly tweeted video footage of September 11 and accused Omar of downplaying the terror attacks.

Omar issued a statement on Sunday night saying: “Since the president’s tweet Friday evening, I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life – many directly referencing or replying to the president’s video.”

Continue reading...

Polar vortex: eight dead as Arctic air spreads across midwest

Posted on by

Thousands of flights canceled, schools close, and post office halts deliveries as Chicago lows approach record

Frozen Arctic winds brought record-low temperatures across much of the US midwest on Wednesday, as a blast of Arctic air known as the polar vortex unnerved residents accustomed to brutal winters.

As of Wednesday evening, at least eight deaths were linked to the system, including an elderly Illinois man who was found several hours after he fell trying to get into his home and a University of Iowa student found behind an academic hall several hours before dawn. A man was struck by a snowplow in the Chicago area, a young couple’s SUV struck another on a snowy road in northern Indiana and a Milwaukee man froze to death in a garage, authorities said.

Continue reading...

Life at -58F: I went inside the frozen heart of America’s polar vortex

Posted on by

In this little city of 6,000 people, people are carrying on as usual, using a few tricks they’ve learned from a lifetime of frigid temperatures

International Falls is known as the “Icebox of America” for good reason. The average high temperature in January is -9C, or 15F. In a typical year, the city will experience 109 days of subzero weather.

But this week the nickname seems particularly appropriate.

Continue reading...